Apache Module mod_usertrack

Available Languages: en

+ + + +

Description:	+Clickstream logging of user activity on a site +
Status:	Extension
Module Identifier:	usertrack_module
Source File:	mod_usertrack.c

Summary

+ +

Previous releases of Apache have included a module which + generates a 'clickstream' log of user activity on a site using + cookies. This was called the "cookies" module, mod_cookies. In + Apache 1.2 and later this module has been renamed the "user + tracking" module, mod_usertrack. This module has been + simplified and new directives added.

Topics

Logging
2-digit or 4-digit dates for cookies?

Logging

+ + +

Previously, the cookies module (now the user tracking + module) did its own logging, using the CookieLog + directive. In this release, this module does no logging at all. + Instead, a configurable log format file should be used to log + user click-streams. This is possible because the logging module + now allows multiple log files. The cookie itself is logged by + using the text %{cookie}n in the log file format. For + example:

+CustomLog logs/clickstream "%{cookie}n %r %t" +

+ +

For backward compatibility the configurable log module + implements the old CookieLog directive, but this + should be upgraded to the above CustomLog directive.

2-digit or 4-digit dates for cookies?

+ + +

(the following is from message + <022701bda43d$9d32bbb0$1201a8c0@christian.office.sane.com> + in the new-httpd archives)

+From: "Christian Allen" <christian@sane.com>
+Subject: Re: Apache Y2K bug in mod_usertrack.c
+Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 11:41:56 -0400
+
+Did some work with cookies and dug up some info that might be useful.
+
+True, Netscape claims that the correct format NOW is four digit dates, and
+four digit dates do in fact work... for Netscape 4.x (Communicator), that
+is.  However, 3.x and below do NOT accept them.  It seems that Netscape
+originally had a 2-digit standard, and then with all of the Y2K hype and
+probably a few complaints, changed to a four digit date for Communicator.
+Fortunately, 4.x also understands the 2-digit format, and so the best way to
+ensure that your expiration date is legible to the client's browser is to
+use 2-digit dates.
+
+However, this does not limit expiration dates to the year 2000; if you use
+an expiration year of "13", for example, it is interpreted as 2013, NOT
+1913!  In fact, you can use an expiration year of up to "37", and it will be
+understood as "2037" by both MSIE and Netscape versions 3.x and up (not sure
+about versions previous to those).  Not sure why Netscape used that
+particular year as its cut-off point, but my guess is that it was in respect
+to UNIX's 2038 problem.  Netscape/MSIE 4.x seem to be able to understand
+2-digit years beyond that, at least until "50" for sure (I think they
+understand up until about "70", but not for sure).
+
+Summary:  Mozilla 3.x and up understands two digit dates up until "37"
+(2037).  Mozilla 4.x understands up until at least "50" (2050) in 2-digit
+form, but also understands 4-digit years, which can probably reach up until
+9999.  Your best bet for sending a long-life cookie is to send it for some
+time late in the year "37".
+

+ +

CookieDomain Directive

+ + + + + + + +

Description:	The domain to which the tracking cookie applies
Syntax:	`CookieDomain domain`
Context:	server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Override:	FileInfo
Status:	Extension
Module:	mod_usertrack

+ +

This directive controls the setting of the domain to which + the tracking cookie applies. If not present, no domain is + included in the cookie header field.

+ +

The domain string must begin with a dot, and + must include at least one embedded dot. That is, + .foo.com is legal, but foo.bar.com and + .com are not.

+ +

Most browsers in use today will not allow cookies to be set + for a two-part top level domain, such as .co.uk, + although such a domain ostensibly fulfills the requirements + above.
+ + These domains are equivalent to top level domains such as + .com, and allowing such cookies may be a security + risk. Thus, if you are under a two-part top level domain, you + should still use your actual domain, as you would with any other top + level domain (for example, use .foo.co.uk). +

+ + +

CookieExpires Directive

+ + + + + + + +

Description:	Expiry time for the tracking cookie
Syntax:	`CookieExpires expiry-period`
Context:	server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Override:	FileInfo
Status:	Extension
Module:	mod_usertrack

When used, this directive sets an expiry time on the cookie + generated by the usertrack module. The expiry-period + can be given either as a number of seconds, or in the format + such as "2 weeks 3 days 7 hours". Valid denominations are: + years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds. If the expiry + time is in any format other than one number indicating the + number of seconds, it must be enclosed by double quotes.

+ +

If this directive is not used, cookies last only for the + current browser session.

+ +

CookieName Directive

+ + + + + + + + +

Description:	Name of the tracking cookie
Syntax:	`CookieName token`
Default:	`CookieName Apache`
Context:	server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Override:	FileInfo
Status:	Extension
Module:	mod_usertrack

This directive allows you to change the name of the cookie + this module uses for its tracking purposes. By default the + cookie is named "Apache".

+ +

You must specify a valid cookie name; results are + unpredictable if you use a name containing unusual characters. + Valid characters include A-Z, a-z, 0-9, "_", and "-".

+ +

CookieStyle Directive

+ + + + + + + + +

Description:	Format of the cookie header field
Syntax:	`CookieStyle + Netscape\|Cookie\|Cookie2\|RFC2109\|RFC2965`
Default:	`CookieStyle Netscape`
Context:	server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Override:	FileInfo
Status:	Extension
Module:	mod_usertrack

This directive controls the format of the cookie header + field. The three formats allowed are:

+ +

Netscape, which is the original but now deprecated + syntax. This is the default, and the syntax Apache has + historically used.
Cookie or RFC2109, which is the syntax that + superseded the Netscape syntax.
Cookie2 or RFC2965, which is the most + current cookie syntax.

+ +

Not all clients can understand all of these formats. but you + should use the newest one that is generally acceptable to your + users' browsers. At the time of writing, most browsers only fully + support CookieStyle Netscape.

+ +

CookieTracking Directive

+ + + + + + + + +

Description:	Enables tracking cookie
Syntax:	`CookieTracking on\|off`
Default:	`CookieTracking off`
Context:	server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Override:	FileInfo
Status:	Extension
Module:	mod_usertrack

When mod_usertrack is loaded, and + CookieTracking on is set, Apache will send a + user-tracking cookie for all new requests. This directive can + be used to turn this behavior on or off on a per-server or + per-directory basis. By default, enabling + mod_usertrack will not + activate cookies.

+ + +